Charmed and Dangerous: Musik and Joy
by Strawberry Potter
Summary: Fred and George Weasley have company......just like themselves!
1. Twins, Teachers and Two Pumpkin Juices

I smiled. I had just seen Jake King, my best friend at Hogwarts. I made my way over to him and saw that he was with a pair of younger girls. These must be his sisters. He had been describing them to me since first year when I let him copy my History of Magic homework and he became my best friend. The only thing I didn't know about them was their names. "Hi!" I said cheerfully. Jake smiled at me, and I knew that was his unspoken way of saying, "!" He bowed and artfully waved his hand toward the girls, who happened to look exactly alike.

"Presenting, the King twins, Musik and Joy!!" Jake bellowed loud enough that the entire King's Cross station could hear him. Even the Muggles, who thought we were weird anyway, thought Jake was weirder. "Musik has a "k" at the end" squeaked the twins at the same time! Jake shook his head. "No wait, that can't be right. That one," he pointed to a twin, "is Musik, or is it Joy? Raise your hand if you're Musik!" Neither of them raised their hands. "Aargh," cried Jake, " WAIT! Musik laughs whenever I say…PUDDING!" Only one of the twins laughed. "Or maybe Joy laughs. God! Twins are so confusing! Especially identical ones!" Musik and Joy giggled.

We all went through the barrier at platform 9 ¾. The whistle blew and that meant we had to get on the train. Jake and I had received letters in the mail explaining that we were prefects and giving us our badges. I, being the idiot I am, lost my badge before school started so Jake sent his over to me and my Mum did a duplication spell and I sent one back to Jake. Thank god the badges didn't have a name engraved on them. Apparently there was a third prefect. I couldn't believe it. Dumbledore always chose two. But for Gryffindor, he had chosen me, Jake King and that old sissy, Percy Weasley.

Nobody really liked Percy. He was always boasting about how perfect he was. He had even scored a nickname, Perfect Percy. But the funny thing about Percy is that he'd been held back in 4th year because he was too young. So we had to get into the prefect's carriage. We said goodbye to Musik and Joy and told them that we would visit their compartment. The prefect's carriage was very luxurious. The seats were made out of fine leather. Perfect Percy was sitting in a leather seat, his nose in a book called _Prefects of Hogwarts: A New Beginning: A Simple Guide to Being the Best Prefect You Can Be._ Perfect Percy, at it again.

"I see you didn't sign up for the Prefect newsOwl from the Power Control department at the Ministry," snorted Percy, "You would have received this extremely helpful guide and would be reading it on the train. You would also have gotten the history pamphlet on famous pre—" Jake groaned loudly. "Just shut up Percy!" Percy stared at Jake angrily. Jake and Percy hated each other all because of Quidditch tryouts and how Jake made the team as a Beater and Percy didn't. Apparently, Percy thought that because we had forgotten to sign up for some stupid newsOwl, he was even with Jake.

The ride to Hogwarts is always fun. But being a prefect and riding to Hogwarts was the best. The prefect's carriage was toward the front so the lady with the trolley came to us first. Jake and I bought Pumpkin Pasties, Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Licorice Wands, Cauldron Cakes, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum and two ice-cold pumpkin juices. And we got a prefect discount. Percy asked for a napkin to use as a bookmark. What a weirdo.

While we were snacking on our food we remembered that we had promised Musik and Joy that we would visit them. We told Percy we were going to patrol the train and Percy was very enthusiastic. "Great! I thought you weren't taking this seriously! Actually, I was going to tell Dumbledore how inconsiderate you were but now that you are acting like a prefect! GO FOR IT!" As soon as we got out we laughed. Percy Weasley was the biggest ninny we had met at Hogwarts. We walked around a little, half-patrolling and half-looking for Musik and Joy. We found them in a compartment with three other people. "Jake!" squeaked the twins at the same time. This really creeps me out. "Hey!" says Jake to his sisters. "Are you going to introduce your friends?" I ask.

Musik, or Joy (I'm not sure which) frowns and says "Oh well then. This," she points to an Asian girl sitting next to her, "is Cho Chang. This," she points to a girl with reddish brownish hair, "is Marietta Edgecombe. And he," she gestured to a boy with dreadlocks, 'he's Lee Jordan." Jake and I waved to everyone. Everyone waved back. "So you guys are all first years?" I ask casually to strike up conversation. "Yup!" they all say.

We hang out in their compartment for half an hour and then we realize that Percy might get suspicious. We leave quickly and a little rudely. We quickly make our way back to the carriage. Percy's still there, still hooked in his book. "Ah," Percy says when we arrive, "I see you're back. I'll go and patrol then shall I?" and he picks up his book and takes it with him to leave. We laugh all the way and then finally, we're there.

You don't even need to look out the window to know that you're there. You feel this magical chilly feeling when you get anywhere near the castle. Just to clarify, we do look out the window and Hogwarts Castle smiles down at us. The train stops and we take carriages pulled by thestrals. Thestrals are creatures that you can only see if you've witnessed death.

Jake and I witnessed Jinx Speck choke last year. We can now see the thestrals. They pull us toward the castle. We're in a carriage with Cedric Diggory, a handsome Hufflepuff.

Once we reach the castle, Professor Binns, looking even whiter (he's a ghost) told Jake and I to come forward. He led us to the first years. "These," he said in an extremely hoarse voice, "are the Gryffindor prefects. Jack and Mila. They will wait with you and answer any quick questions." Binns floated through the large door into the Great Hall. "Er, hi," we say awkwardly, "I'm not Mila, and he's not Jack. My name is Mint and his name is Jake. Professor Binns messes names up a lot so, yeah, you might want to know that if he says, 'Jenkins! Answer me!' and your name is Jones and there is no Jenkins in the class, he's probably talking to you." There was a small scatter of chuckles, but the laughter didn't reach their nervous eyes.

I leaned against the door. It was a bad time to do so because just then, Professor McGonagall opened it and I almost fell on top of her. She gave us a once over and then said, " Thank you, Miss Ackerman, Mr. King, you may go. We leave and go out into the Great Hall. The Sorting Hat is perched on a stool. I smile at it. It smiles back. My sorting was the weirdest sorting ever.

I was first to be sorted, but it took half an hour to sort me. The hat was on my head for so long that the teachers were considering ripping it off my head and giving me a written personality quiz. Right when McGonagall tried to take it off, it screamed, "Mint Ackerman! GRYFFINDOR!" and I sat down, pleased. The first years all get sorted. "KING, MUSIK" cries McGonagall. Both of the twins come up. They whisper something in McGonagall's ear. For the first time ever, McGonagall smiles. "May I correct myself? KING, MUSIK and JOY!" Jake gasps. "I swear, the only time they're not together is when they go to the bathroom." I snigger. "GRYFFINDOR!" screams the hat. Musik and Joy skip over to the table, wave to us and watch excitedly.


	2. Goats, Gryffindor and Grammy Carol

The Sorting finally ended with WEASLEY, FRED and WEASLEY, GEORGE. They were also twins. Jake groaned when he spotted this. "Great! More twins to tell apart! And they're in GRYFFINDOR!" They were. Apparently, they had a long line of GRYFFINDOR relatives because as soon as the hat touched their head it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" My mum was a Ravenclaw and Dad was a Hufflepuff. That's why I think it took a long time to decide. My family didn't really have a Sorting Pattern. Percy Weasley was clapping enthusiastically. They must be his brothers.

We eat like mad pigs. Hogwarts food is so much better than Grammy Carol's food. I live with Grammy Carol ever since my parents started studying marine biology at the Belfast Marine Center. They have a home in Belfast and it's quite nice, I go there for Christmas and summer holidays. While Dumbledore, the headmaster, is getting ready to send everyone off to bed, Professor McGonagall taps Jake, Percy and me on the shoulder and whispers, "Prefect Orientation with Dumbledore. Let's go. Wait, before you do, the password for the common room is Absens. Pass it down. We pass down the password and everyone nods. Then we go for Prefect Orientation.

It's quite boring really. The only exciting part is staring around Dumbledore's office. I wave to Fawkes, the phoenix, a scarlet, majestic bird. Dumbledore explains rules and patrolling duties and is interrupted by Percy a couple times, informing Dumbledore about historic prefects and their mistakes and how they caused them to go nuts and never live to be successful. Perhaps the funniest part was when Percy said, "There was also this prefect! Completely ridiculous! Nobody ever knew how he came to be a prefect. Name was Aberfifth or Aberforth…anyway something like that. Terrible prefect. He became a nasty old man. Broke his brother's nose—permanently actually and even charmed goats illegally! He became a bartender and from what I can tell, he was nothing like Madam Rosmerta. If only I could only remember his last name. Started with a "d" I'm quite sure. Dum—er—Dumbler—oh!" Percy had realized that his last name could be Dumbledore and that he could be related to the headmaster. Percy looked at Dumbledore as though he was expecting a shouting match. Dumbledore simply said, "Humph! That's peculiar. I had a brother named Aberforth. He broke my nose. He was a prefect now that I come to think of it. Practiced illegal goat charming also. He's a bartender now. How funny. Well, it's a small world Mr. Weasley. Very small indeed. Don't you think? Right, Miss Ackerman? And, Mr. King. What a small world!" Dumbledore beams at us. Percy gulps. On the way back from Dumbledore's office we silently snigger at Percy who had temporarily turned Weasley Pink. Weasley Pink is a very specific shade of pink. A little lighter than red, but darker than a baby pink. "Oh drat! I am going to be expelled for accidentally insulting his brother!" whimpers Percy. Jake laughs. I join in, but I have no idea why. "Don't worry Weasley! The worst thing that'll happen to you is that Dumbledore will take away your prefect badge for a day!" Percy stares at Jake. "AA whole entire d-d-day?" he moans.


	3. Jay, Joy and Jose Gorgonzola

We get back to the Great Hall and see that Dumbledore has beaten us to the hall. He's making his announcements. "And lastly," he says in his soothing voice, 'we have a new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Chesterfield. But wait. Yes Professor?" for Professor Chesterfield had just gotten up to whisper something in Dumbledore's ear. "Ah, well then. If you insist. Okay. Sorry. Forgive my mistake. Professor Chesterfield has just informed me that she would feel much more comfortable if we called her by her first name, MacKenzie. She also adds that being called Kenzie or Mac is also perfectly fine. Now, off to bed. Skit scat! Prefects, I trust you can show our new first years to the common room. Good night." He claps and the lights dim. "Gryffindors! This way! Yes me! Over here! Come now! Me right here in the badge. Yes that's me. Approach! Come now!" calls Perfect Percy beckoning for the Gryffindors to follow him. We sneak over to Musik and Joy and ask them to come with us. Percy doesn't notice them leaving so we take them up quickly.

The Fat Lady is there, chatting with her friend Violet. "Absens." says a twin. The Fat Lady swings open to reveal a warm and welcome Gryffindor common room. Percy and the rest of the first years arrive shortly afterwards, Percy's face red. We're just about to ask why he's so red when a black haired first year asks, "So? You haven't answered me! Are you the "Perfect Percy" my brother joked about all last summer and the one before?" Percy looks like he's about to explode when all the color drains from his face and he coolly says, "5 points from Gryffindor, Knucklecrack!" Jay Knucklecrack, who happens to live across the street from me, regrets this immediately. "Well, Mr. Prefect Weasley sir, " he blusters, "Gryffindor is your house too. Are you sure you want to take those points away?" Percy looks astounded. I can tell that he's mentally erasing Jay off his hate list. "I guess so! 5 points to Gryffindor!" sighs Percy, shaking his head.

Percy and I give a little information about Hogwarts while Jake passes out a quill and some parchment to each student. Jake's father, Dennis King, owns a supply shop with quills and parchment. We then tell them to come by the fireplace. There's a huge fight over the comfy chairs and in the end. Jake ends up having to charm black eyes off and fix bloody noses. Percy's eyes light up. "If you can answer a question, you can sit on an arm chair. We'll ask a question. We'll then call on someone. They will tell us what armchair they are fighting for and answer the question. If they get it, they get an armchair. We start off. "What is the name of the Gryffindor ghost?" Everyone looks around at each other like someone will be wearing a "Support Nearly Headless Nick: Gryffindor Ghost" shirt or something. Jay Knucklecrack raises his hand. "Nearly Headless Nick or Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington." Jay says with great confidence in his voice, "I'm fighting for the green armchair!" There is a big groan all around the room. Somehow they know that it's the comfiest armchair in the world. The questions continued until 5 smug first years are sitting in armchairs while 5 others are sitting on a rug looking quite disappointed. We then start the activity. "On your piece of paper," says Percy, "I would like you to write your name and two interesting facts about you." Faces all around the room screw up as they try to think something interesting about them. Finally everyone's done and we send them to change into their pajamas. Then we start to look at the results. Wow!

Fred Weasley: have a twin brother. My twin brother has a twin brother.

George W.: have a twin brother. My twin brother has a twin brother.

Musik King: have a twin sister. My twin sister has a twin sister.

Joy King: have a twin sister. My twin sister has a twin sister.

Jay Knucklecrack: won yo-yo competition. Love cheese.

Lee Jordan: interested in Renaissance art. I love Rachmaninoff music.

Andrew Creighton: backpacked across world. Can speak 18 languages.

Kelp Krisner: father won Olympics. Mom won $100,000 Pyramid.

Annie Caplet: voted Miss Popular twice at school. Love to GOSSIP!

Alizza Rock: have my own line of skinny jeans. Scarf line coming out.

Cara Valetti: have 12 brothers and 9 sisters. Live in mansion with guards.

Alley Gorgonzola: my dad is Jose Gorgonzola, the opera singer. Uh…

We could tell that Fred and George Weasley were troublemakers and that Musik and Joy were too. We could tell that Jay Knucklecrack was plain weird although we were going to have to ask him what a yo-yo was. Lee Jordan was obviously pretending to be an angel. Andrew was awesome. Kelp was too. Annie was one of those girls who cared about makeup and would be interested in sixth year Human Transfiguration so she could easily wax her eyebrows and highlight her hair. Alizza, I would to ask to see some of her designs or if she could design Gryffindor scarves for everyone. Cara Valetti had way too many brothers and sisters but her house was probably big enough to hold them. Alley Gorgonzola needed to learn that nobody had ever heard of Jose Gorgonzola and that she wasn't very bright. We were pleased about how much we could tell. We quickly paired them up with people of their gender to be buddies. George and Jay, Fred and Lee, Andrew and Kelp for boys. For girls we had Alizza and Annie, Musik and Cara, Alley and Joy.

"You will eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with your buddies tomorrow. If your buddy can't make it, join someone else. We'll switch on the second day and the third, the fourth, the fifth and the sixth day. Good night"

And the magic of Hogwarts was back again.


	4. OWLs, Oliver and Octopus Breathing

When I got up in the morning, I felt like super-girl. I stared at the wall and magically conjured a mirror. I looked better too. The rings around my eyes had gone and my brown, layered hair was no longer tangled, it was perfectly straight. The Beautifying Charm I had put on my pillow did work. My hands weren't rough from helping 1st years with their bags. Instead they were soft. I practiced magic a little by applying make-up. Oh! How I loved magic! I put on my freshly laundered robes (the house elves must have done it last night) and I trudged downstairs. Tyresa was reading the Daily Prophet, her legs tangled in a twisted shape. " I have been waiting for you for about 2 minutes!" she screamed. I shake my head and sigh.

Tyresa is my other best friend and one of those time freaks. You would think she's geeky and wears mad scientist glasses and dress pants all day, but she's so cool. Tyresa is skinny. Too skinny. Almost anorexic. She eats lunch and everything so, I have no idea how she does it. She does a lot of dancing with her Muggle mother. She always speaks her mind and wasn't even afraid to start a petition letting girls wear skirts as Hogwarts uniform. She gets straight A's and she's into theater and art. She's been trying to get a Christmas pantomime although Dumbledore always says, "At least you don't have a memory of the last one!" and declines. She's pretty but she is single and never cares if those stinky Slytherfreaks tease her. She's preppy and she's on a dance team called the Silver Fly but she accepts everyone! She's closterphobic but she's enthusiastic and great! She's not very popular but she's friendly and fun. She has a ton of stories to tell. Of course, my favorite is the one where her little sister swallowed her two front teeth eating a hamburger. She always talks about her favorite princesses for Dinsey or Dimsey or something like that. They're mermaid and a girl who marries a beast. Bella and Arielle. Or Berielle and Arra. No, it's the first one.

"Hey Ty! Let's go! We have that new lady for Defense Against The Dark Arts!" Tyresa glows. "Oh! Yes! Professor Chester—I mean MacKenzie. I would like to meet her. She seems wonderful. Let's go. We head towards the Great Hall and grab a muffin. We eat on the way to Defense Against the Dark Arts. When we arrive at the DADA room , we see, not a battlefield replica, like last year, but a pair of giant swinging doors. In front, is the teacher. Professor Chesterfield isn't wearing wizard robes. She's wearing a t-shirt that says " Imagine Whirled Peas!" and some bright purple yoga pants. She flicks her wand and before us appears a closet. We open the closet and discover a large stash of "Save the Environment" shirts and yoga pants. In the end, I pick one that says "Make Cookies Not War" and some black yoga pants. Ty has a hard time picking a shirt. Finally, she grabs a "Free Range Human" tee shirt and orange yoga pants. We start to head over to the bathroom to change, but MacKenzie sharply says, "No!" and waves her wand to make the clothes come on us. She then hands us a mat to match our yoga pants. Mine is black, Ty's is orange and MacKenzie pulls out a purple one. She then leads us through the doors. I clamp my mouth shut to keep from laughing. Tyresa does the same.

We are in a room of Gryffindors and Slytherins, in yoga pants and t-shirts. She points to an open space and tells us to put our mats down and stretch. Jake is across from me. He's picked a "Save the Planet—It's The Only One With Girls" shirt and black yoga shorts. He's doing odd stretches and reading out of the textbook. "I put that you didn't need to buy a textbook," says MacKenzie, "because I felt it was rude and unfair to expect you to get a textbook. I bought six hundred of these books so that my Karma would be replenished! They are yours. You will need them, the many years I will teach here. She wiggles her wand and books fly and hover above our heads. She then claps, and they drop in front of us. I read the title: _Forget Defense: Let's Try Incense: A Simple Guide to the Magical Aspect of Yoga. _ I snort and then cough loudly to cover it up. Jake rolls his eyes. "Open the book to page 3!" says MacKenzie and the class flips their books to page 3. There is a note and a picture of an octopus looking happy.

**Welcome, my friends, to the magical art of yoga, a simple practice that has been carried out for thousands of years. In the first chapter, you will learn about flexibility and how it can help you in complicated situations. This is Ziggy the octopus. He will be assisting you with yoga. In the book, you will see him in pictures, attempting to do yoga. As you are a human and Ziggy is a cephlapod, it may look different in the pictures. The first thing we will do is called octopus breathing. Ziggy gets excited when he does octopus breathing because he is an octopus. Follow Ziggy. First, close your eyes, take a deep breath and say, "Mememememem!" until you feel like an octopus. Then get up and walk around, waving your hands or tentacles. This is octopus breathing. **

I stare at MacKenzie. She gets up and says, "Mememmemem!" and walks around waving her arms, bumping in to an ugly Slytherin, Marcus Flint, too many times. To everyone's amazement, Ty gets up too. Then I do. Then Jake does and everyone is walking around saying, "Memememememem!" and knocking each other down. In the end, Marcus Flint starts doing it too. MacKenzie makes us sit down and read more and learn some poses. She notices our glances and says, "Shall we do more octopus breathing?" and then stands up and screams, "MEMEMEMEMEMEM!!" We follow suit. When we leave, MacKenzie is less crazy. "Your homework is to read about vinyasas and create your own ready to be performed on Thursday at class. The best one will win a bag of Honeydukes chocolate. And we'll do that one at warm-up. Good bye!" and she slams the doors. We look at our t-shirts and wonder if we're allowed to keep them. At that moment, our shirts and pants vanish and our Hogwarts robes come back.

We hustle back to our common rooms for a spot of free time. Pinned on the notice board is a note announcing the Hogsmeade weekend in three weeks. We begin our vinyasas. After a free period, we have Transfiguration and we head down, whispering about MacKenzie and what yoga has to do with the Dark Arts. We come up with nothing. In Transfiguration, McGonagall makes us practice 4th year material like turning rabbits into slippers and chairs into swords. After that we discuss some more things about the teacher on our way to Potions where Snape tortures us on O.W.L. level potions. Then we head up to lunch. Jake sits with the Weasley twins. I sit with Ty. Mum's owl is flying toward me. It lands on the butter dish and drops the letter. Then she soars away. I open the letter.

_Dear Mint,_

_I hope you are having a good first day. I just want to tell you that your father and I have rented a tiny and cozy cottage in Hogsmeade for the month. I know you have those weekends where you can visit the village. Send us the next date and we can arrange to meet you. _

_Mum_

_P.S. Bring Itsy, I got her some toys! _

I smile. Itsy is my Puffskein. Jake has one too. We bought them together. His is Bitsy. Itsy and Bitsy. The best of friends. I look over at Ty, who has been reading over my shoulder. "Wanna go? Meet my parents and shop?" Ty is enthusiastic and I go up to the Owlery with her to send an owl to Mum. After that, Jake, Percy and I head back to the common room for 1st year check-up. The buddy system is going well. Jay and George are having a conversation about pranks they've played. Fred and Lee were talking about the Chudley Cannons. Andrew was counting to 20 in every language he knew, greatly amusing Kelp. Alizza was sitting next to Annie trying to design a dress for her. Musik and Cara are giggling furiously. Joy is going around screaming, "MEMEMEMEM!" making Alley laugh so hard, she almost choked. They must have had DADA. Even Percy laughs at Joy's amazing Professor Chesterfield imitation. The 1st year check-up is half a period so we write the first years all passes and we head to Care of Magical Creatures.

Percy walks ahead of me and Jake so Jake and I can talk. "Umm, Mint," he says, "I was wondering if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me on the 24th. Do you want to?" I look at him, embarrassed. "Jake, I already said I'd go to see my paents, they have a cottage there, with Ty. Maybe another—" "No. If you like Tyresa Faerieton better than me, that's FINE!" says Jake rudely. Ugh! Jake storms away and begins having forced conversation with Percy, who looks like Christmas has come early because he has a friend.

"Miss Ackerman!" says Professor Kettleburn to me, "I am disappointed. You're late!" he says as though I murdered someone. " So are they," I say, pointing to Percy and the other boy next to him (I'm trying not to say the word Jake. Oh! I just said it!), "I'm confused why you aren't mad at them!" Professor Kettleburn sighs like this is first grade stuff. "Miss Ackerman, I expect more out of you. Turn to page 95 in your books. We'll begin with the Lethifold." I don't read the page. A Lethifold! Big deal! I know everything about Magical Creatures which is why Kettleburn loves me so much. I used to be teased about it. People would call me Kettlegirl and Teacher's Pettleburn. During the Christmas holidays, Mum and Dad would take me to the Magizoo to view some cool Magical Creatures. I practicially memorize the signs on them. I'd bring Jake too.

_Jake. _I wish he wasn't mad at me. But I should've known. I should've just asked Ty to cancel. She doesn't mind that I liked Jake better as a friend. I guess I don't anymore. I wish Ty and Jake could just get along. Even though they dated in fourth year and had a rather nasty break-up doesn't mean that they can't be friends. I don't think th—"Miss Ackerman! You're not paying attention! If you answer this question right, I won't give you a detention. And there's no reason you shouldn't know it. I've been lecturing you on it for the last 40 minutes. Here you go. What is so unique about the Lethifold's murdering pattern?" says Professor Kettleburn, a sort of evil look in his eyes. I can tell he'd love to tell the staff all about the drop in my good streak.

"The Lethifold," I recite, "is known for its strange murder pattern where it leaves no mess or sign of a fight!" I say and Tyresa laughs and coughs at the same time. Jake scowls. "Well Miss Ackerman," huffs Kettleburn, "I am surprised that you would get that. This is sixth year prep. No detention. Class! Your homework is to research Janus Thickey and his convincing story about the Lethifold attacking him. Then write to St. Mungo's and see if they can gve you any information. Good bye!" and we shuffle away to the castle. I automatically float towards Jake and then I remember he's not my friend anymore.

I float twoards Ty. She looks at me. "What's going on between you and Jake?" says Ty, observing me like a hawk. I sigh, loudly, too loudly. So loudly that Jake notices at me and scowls again. "It's about you! He's mad that I'm taking you to Hogsmeade to meet my parents." I said quickly. Ty gasped. "Oh! Mint! I didn't tell you. Oliver Wood asked me to come to Hogsmeade with him. Oliver! The cute one! Of course I turned him down because—" I stop Ty. "Why'd you turn him down?" Ty looked at me like I was dumb. "Because I'm going with you! Your parents have never heard of me! I wanted to meet them!" I shake my head. "No! Ty, go with Oliver. Go! He wants it, you want it," even I wanted to go alone, "and he likes you!" Ty gasps again. "Thank you Mint! I'll go and tell him!" and she dashes up to find him.

Someone tugs on the back of my sleeve. At first I think it's Jake and I say, "Finally!" and I hug him. I look up. It's Oliver Wood looking very confused. I let go of him and start apologizing. He stops me and asks, "Come to Hogsmeade with me please! All the ther guys in my dormitory have dates except me. You two are the prettiest in the year and—" "No! Ty went to go find you to say yes!" I say and Oliver breathes a sign of relief and leaves. I head back to the common room. Musik and Joy and Jake are there. Jake leaves when he sees me and Musik and Joy. Musik and Joy stare at me. I shake my head and run to the dormtory. I fling myself on the bed and sob myself to sleep.


	5. Musik, Mischief and the Magic Express

Musik and Joy came in after dinner and sat by my bed. They were wearing pajamas that had their names on the back of them. Musik (the one with the Musik pajamas) said, "Jake told us what happened. And we to told him back that he's a foul, sefish git and that he deserves to be boiled in frog spawn and undiluted bubotuber pus." Musik gave a big sigh. I stared at her, "How do you know—" I started. Joy smiled. "We read ahead a bit in the books. I smiled for the first time that night. "Oh no," I said, bolting upright out of bed, "I've forgotten about first year checkup! Did they do it without me?" Joy squeamed in her seat by the window that looked out over the menacing Whomping Willow, a tree that deliberately swomps and hurts you. "Well," said Joy in an uncomfortable tone, "it was cancelled, unofficially because you forgot but Percy and Jake thought you would be kind enough to take it for them so they snuck out to visit Hagrid."

Hagrid was the gamekeeper at Hogwarts. He was rather clumsy and had a huge passion for monstrous creatures. But it was always nice to have a cup of tea and rock cakes (which we usually refused) with him. I could hardly believe it, Percy Weasley, breaking rules. "Get all the first years together," I said, yawning, "I'll do it." Musik and Joy woke up their own dormitory and asked Jay Knucklecrack to get his. We switched buddies at the meeting and it was Annie and Musik, Cara and Alley, Joy and Alizza. For boys, we arranged Kelp and Fred, George and Andrew, Jay and Lee. Percy and Jake walked in just as we finished.

"Oh good, " said Jake hotly, "I'm glad this stuff is taken care of. The unimportant stuff anyway…." I exploded. In one swift move I pinned him on the wall. I called him names, terrible names. Percy kept trying to pry him off, but Percy…strengthwise…not very—"SWISH!!" I had punched him. "You foul loathsome evil little cockroach!" I bellowed and I threw him across the room and he landed neatly on an armchair. I had known I was strong. I could pick up my mother and father at the same time. I did all the loading and unloading for Grammy Carol. I also had a temper. My parents joked about renaming me Cinnamon Heart because I was fiery instead of a cool and calm Mint. But Mint Ackerman needed a lot to penetrate her emotional side. Jake stared at me. Everyone else did too. There were 6th years and 7th years and everyone, watching like this was some sort of Quidditch match.

I sighed and Ty did too, behind me. "There's nothing to see here. Go away, this isn't the premiere of Forrest Gump. Go! Now!" she barks at the watching crowd. Slowly, the crowd dies away although I could've sworn I saw the clicking of a camera. We sit on a common room armchair. "Mint," she begins, "I want you to promise you'll control your temper. I'll counsel you. How does that sound? We can read ahead in the defense yoga books. Professor Chesterf—MacKenzie that is, would be thrilled. I'm sure she could prescribe an exercise." Tyresa stares at me like it's so easy. I agree and we do the Ackerman Faerieton Cross where we cross our crossed fingers. Jake walks in and scowls. "Next time you attempt to kill me, d'ya mind if you could throw me towards the pillows?" he says sarcastically. Now I do feel like trying to kill him, but in time, I remember my promise to Tyresa and I coolly reply, "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Goodbye!" I want to cry on the inside. Jake has been my friend for 5 years and I hate losing him. I wish Ty had been asked sooner and told me sooner so I didn't have to reject Jake like that. I could ask him now, but it would be risky to ask him. He'd say no anyway. Ty watches me with great interest until Bettie Muldoon comes dashing into the common room.

"'Lo Bettie. What's up?" says Ty avoiding Bettie's eyes. She doesn't like Bettie much. "I have a great idea," says Bettie like she drank through a 12 pack of Coca-Cola or something, "I'm going to start a Hogwarts newspaper! It'll be spectacular. Going to ask Dumbledore—already have idea for—want to be a repo—do you think—ooh! I can't wait!" and Bettie jumps 2 feet in the air and squeals and pushes the Fat Lady open forcefully, neglecting to close it. Finally, the Fat Lady's ranting gets so annoying that we close her. But then, Bettie has to walk in, looking like the cat who ate the canary. "I got permission from Dumbledore! I'm just off to get my old typewriter from upstairs— ooh! I have the best—how's your foot Mint, Ty told me it was hur—can you believe Professor Chester—how come there are only two armch—wait—you'll love the paper! Can we come up with a name together?" she bubbles.

Ty is too nice to shoo Bettie so we endure half an hour coming up with names until Ty finally says, "I've been thinking about this one the entire time and it seems okay. How 'bout…. The Magic Express?" Ty says this dully, and it's obvious she hates this name. "PERFECT!" screams Bettie and she runs around singing the name and rhyming it. I agree with Tyresa, Bettie is….well….interesting. And we discuss possible ideas for our Defense Against the Dark Arts vinyasas. Finally I come up with one and Ty comes up with three ("Just in case something's wrong with the first two!") vinyasas. We read about vinyasas, which are series of yoga poses that are performed in a certain order. Tyresa memorizes the entire chapter ("You never know when a teacher might have to give you a pop quiz!") and I take little notes on a piece of crumpled parchment.

When we go to sleep it's late and I even hear a house-elf creaking open the Fat Lady so she can clean. I've never seen a house-elf, so I wake up Ty, grab my wand and we creep to the common room. We hear a gasp and see a large house-elf with huge ears bowing to us. "Keely is sorry Miss. Keely wishes to not disturb the lovely Misses. Keely is to be cleaning now if ther Misses agree." Keely says, bowing and almost tumbling over. Tyresa leans down by Keely and says, kindly, "Keely, I give you permission to go back to your um…sleeping place. We'll clean up!" She says this like she is announcing her nomination for something important but Keely just shakes her head and sneezes into the pillowcase she dons. "Miss is awfully kind. I is liking Miss. Keely isn't sleeping. Tis part of a house-elf's enslavement. Keely cleans, Miss. Keely likes work!" says the elf, plucking her pillow case. All of a sudden, Jake comes in saying, " Ah! An elf! Get me some eclairs now!" and Jake plops himself down on an armchair while Keely rushes out to get them. Keely takes two seconds and soon, Jake is eating eclairs and calling Percy down through a full mouth.

I run back to bed to keep myself from punching him. Jake was the kindest boy I knew before. Now he's all hoity toity and I can't stand it. I really can't. Tyresa comes in a little after me carrying my wand. "You forgot this!" she whispers. I take the wand back and we endure trying to fall asleep with Bettie's typewriter clicking away all night.

A/N: Hi! Thank you to all the people who reviewed……oh wait! I have no reviewers..so REVIEW PEOPLE! Oh and yes, Ty is sort of a girlier version of Hermione. When Jake becomes friends with Mint again, Hint Hint, you'll see that Jake is sort of like Ron. I'm exaggerating the bitter side of Ron/Jake. And for people who don't know where I'm going, I have a huge event that will be coming up and it involves a teacher! Review Review!!!!


	6. Papers, Parties and Penelope Clearwater

Bettie's newspaper, The Magic Express, came out a week later. She passed it out in class, left some in each common room and even asked house-elves and paintings to advertise it. I had been too late for class to take one from the Fat Lady who was waving it around like a flag. But somehow, I had the feeling that I was in it. People clutched copies of the paper and whistled and shouted at me all day. None of the shouts told me why they were shouting. Finally I picked up a copy that had been left on a table outside the Charms room. I read the headline with Ty, peeking over my shoulder. We gasped.

COMMON ROOM BRAWL: WE HAVE A FIGHTER AMONG US

By: Bettie Muldoon

_**Hogwarts, a school of magic, has been called a "safe haven" or a "heaven on Earth" often. But with a madwoman on the loose, Hogwarts may lose that position. Mint Ackerman, a Gryffindor 5**__**th**__** year was seen threatening and fighting another Gryffindor 5**__**th**__** year just like her, Jake King in the Gryffindor common room. Mr. King has told our writer at The Magic Express that Ackerman is generally violent unlike her name which usually refers to a cool, calm breath freshening candy. Rumors of her violence were supported when her friend, Gryffindor 5**__**th**__** year, Tyresa Faerieton offered to coach her using Professor MacKenzie Chesterfield's text book, Forget Defense, Let's Try Incense, as a success tool. Apparently, Faerieton believes that her companion is too violent to be left alone. Ever since, she has been following Ackerman like a magnet, watching her every move. A secret handshake ( not so secret anymore) involving the crossing of crossed fingers was also used. Whether Faerieton's constant mentoring will help Ackerman, we do not know. In the interview with Mr. Jake King, the victim of Ackerman's wrath, we learn that he knows Miss Ackerman was born violent as she has had a teddy bear named Egloo, that she would practice wrestling. Miss Ackerman uses words to attack as well. At the incident at the common room, she was heard calling Mr. King a foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach. **_

_**Perhaps this is the influence of stress. As most students know, the O.W.L. tests are taken in 5**__**th**__** year causing the year to be stressful and emotional. Professor MacKenzie Chesterfield reveals to us that Miss Ackerman did not do well on her Octopus Breathing test. "Mint needs to calm and find her inner swan. I could tell from her Stress Test that Mint was not very calm and that she's not the type of person that might do yoga. I will continue to work with her and guide her through this time of hardship. I'd like to applaud her friend, Tyresa, for that idea of coaching. Tyresa is such a sweet girl and she was the winner of my Best Vinyasa contest. She surprised me with three beautiful vinyasas, and even I, have started practicing them. Our good friend Jake also has the same qualities and his Stress Test shows that he is a sad boy suffering the usual pangs of adolescence. I will continue to check on him as he is a wonderul child capable of the arts I teach!" she says while practicing the Butterfly Pose. The students at Hogwarts will be glad to know that we are informed and that we are taking action to further prevent this type of violent behavior.**_

Attached to Bettie's article was a picture of me pinning Jake against the wall of the common room. Tyresa gasps again. "So that was her stupid idea! The….er… accident! How could she do that? Oh, I'll get her for that! Well, I won't hurt her of course! I'll talk to her, let's go. Dumbledore won't be happy. He might even fire her," she whispers taking huge strides across the grounds, "I'm going the wrong way. We have to go to her….. come ON!" she says, taking even bigger strides. We get back to the castle and head for the third floor. The common room, where Bettie will be is on the 6th floor. When I point this out to her, she is already by the DADA corridor knocking on Professor Chesterfield's door.

MacKenzie opens it looking delighted. Her face falls when she sees me. "This isn't the best time girls!" she says, carelessly applying lipstick to her cheek. I have to go soon!" and she slams the door in our face, leaving Ty looking flabbergasted. "She can't be divulging information like that!" she cries. All of a sudden, I understand. Ty isn't mad at Bettie, but she's mad at Chesterfield. We go over to Hagrid's for the rest of the evening. Hagrid is also angry at The Magic Express. "They 'ad no right ter do that!" After a game of Exploding Snap at Hagrid's, we go up to the common room but the Fat Lady is gone and we see Kelp Krisner, guarding the door, wearing oversized dress robes with a clipboard in his hand. "Name?" he says, still staring at the clipboard. "Kelp! It's me! The prefect! Mint! And my friend, Ty! Just let us in Kelp!" I say trying to get past him. "No can do," he says, shaking his head, still not looking up, "I don't see you on the list. Explain that?" He jots down notes on his clipboard. "Five points from Gryffindor, Krisner!" I say angrily. He reluctantly lets me in.

There's some sort of party going on. Percy and Jake are there, but they're buried under people. Everyone is. There's a big crowd around someone and I stand on my toes to find that it's Bettie looking stunning in gorgeous robes of silver sash. She looks thrilled to have so many eyes on her. All the first years, except for Kelp, Musik and Joy are there. We spot Musik and Joy looking miffed in a corner trying to read _Forget Defense, Let's Try Incense_. I start to make my way toward them but stop when Ty taps on my shoulder and points to a banner hanging up by the refreshments. **THE MAGIC EXPRESS. ** I sigh loudly. This is some Magic Express premiere party. I look at Jake and Percy. Percy and Jake are accompanied by some people. I can't see so I move forward. Jake is holding hands with a drop dead gorgeous girl.

It was Karly Harte. She was a Ravenclaw, yet somehow she had been let in. Her jet black straight hair came just past her shoulders. Her legs were long and perfect. She was slim and had curves in the right places. She was loaded in makeup and her skin looked smooth and rosy. She was dressed in a revealing, strapless, knee length dark blue dress that was so tight it looked like it might pop off her. Jake had always stared at her before, but I had never guessed he might be serious about her. Penelope Clearwater, the girl with Percy was dressed differently. She was also a Ravenclaw and Kelp must have let her in. She wasn't very rich like Karly Harte. She was a plain girl with no makeup. She was wearing a button up dress that might have been made out of a tablecloth. All of a sudden, someone started to play music. It was slow music and everyone and their dates started dancing. Ty, Musik, Joy and I were the only ones who didn't dance. We see an unusually tall person and we look up to see…MacKenzie! She was invited because of that interview. MacKenzie wore a full length gown. It was bright pink and she had charmed it to look like stars were glistening on it. Her hair wasn't in its usual blonde high ponytail. She had curled it and styled it so it was half behind her ears.

Even the first years danced. Alizza and Annie are wearing matching dresses that Alizza designed. Fred and George are wearing frayed dress robes and doing the robot. Andrew is repeating the lyrics of the song in Greek for his date, Athena DeGadamy, his Greek Hufflepuff first year date. Jay is eating cheese and dancing at the same time. Cara and Alley are slow dancing with each other. The party goes on like this until finally Bettie makes a closing speech. Everyone heads out and Penelope Clearwater stops her two-step. MacKenzie hurries out, hunched over to look like a student. "I am so telling Dumbledore about this. Teachers, attending private parties!" mutters Ty in a softly dangerous voice. I set my schoolbag down on a chair and head over to Bettie who is having mini-interviews with people who are interested in working at The Magic Express.

"Bettie," I say, in that softly dangerous voice Ty used, "I can't believe you did that. I know it's an amazing riot and the typewriter started to explode probably but you can't go about like that. You've ruined my life! Egloo was a secret and I told only Jake because I trusted him with that information. And, oh, Bettie, if I had trusted you with that information, I would've told you! Bettie, I did trust you but I can't trust you anymore. I'm sorry!" and with that, I storm away furiously. Ty comes up with me. I start ranting to her. She just glares at me. "What?" I say when I can take no more glaring. "You never told me about Egloo. Do you not trust me with this information?" Ty's eyes are stern, like a scolding mother. I cower under her look. I can't believe it. First Jake and now Tyre—"Just kidding!" says Ty flopping down on my bed.

My heart starts beating again and I can breathe. We chat for a little bit, Ty does her Transfiguration essay and I'm going to do mine when I realize my schoolbag is downstairs. "Be right back!" I say to Ty and clomp down stairs in my Looney Toons pajamas. I stop when I reach the common room. Jake and Karly Harte are sitting on the couch, kissing fiercely with such passion, I can feel the heat. Knowing that they'd see me if I went to get my bag, I cast a Disillusionment Charm on myself and I tip-toe over, snatch my bag and walk away. I'm crying. Karly Harte! Jake could do much better.


	7. Dance, Dying and Dealing with Boyfriends

Ty went to Dumbledore in the morning. "I'm going to tell him to stop this Magic Express business and punish Professor Chesterfield. Teachers aren't allowed to divulge test scores to reporters!" she said frantically, when I asked her. She asked me to come with her, and I agreed. When we eached the entrance to Dumbledore's office we froze. Two large stone gargoyles stood guarding the door. "I've heard the password is a sweet of some kind!" remarked Ty, tilting her head. "Well, I couldn't care if it was Blood Pops just let us—" I stopped. The word, "Blood Pop" had triggered the gargoyles. They shifted over leaving a clear path to the oak door. We walked and knocked, uncertainly. The doors swung open and revealed Professor Dumbledore in his large chair, stroking Fawkes and talking to Professor Chesterfield.

"Ah, Miss Ackerman and Miss Faerieton! I expected you, though not quite so soon. MacKenzie was just being informed of our policy at Hogwarts. We cannot divulge test scores, except for the highest, to students other than the test taker or the other teachers. MacKenzie, realizes her mistake and deeply regrets it. Now, will you lovely ladies mind stepping out for a moment. MacKenzie and I have a couple things to discuss." says Dumbledore, in a calm and collected voice. MacKenzie looks frantically around, like she's looking for a whip she might get hit with. We quietly exited the room. When Dumbledore let us back in. Chesterfield had a stony look on her face. "She's been sacked!" muttered Ty, so only I could hear.

"Dumbledore," said Chesterfield, her voice cracking, "Sweet, kind Dumbledore, has decided to let me stay!" she said. And with that she burst into tears. We wondered why she was crying even after we left the office. When we got to the Great Hall for breakfast, we saw Bettie run away, clutching a stack of letters, probably Magic Express applications. My owl, Delia, swooped down with a letter. I caught it as and watched Delia soar to the windows.

_Oh Mint,_

_I'm a coward! You see, I can't even face you. I have to write a letter to express my apologies. I'm so sorry about the Magic Express thing. Really truly! I think I'll just do a new issue for September. I'll write a safe issue, about the classes or something. But I was desperate. I grew up, a pureblood, in a happy household with my mother and father. Father died in a broomstick crash when I was 6. I remember my mother, crying at night. She remarried in 2 years, but stepfather (a man named Jacoby Harrison) was drunk and often abused us. My mother and I, we ran away one night. The night he invited his friends over to drink. He and his friends broke three windows. We ran and settled in a quiet apartment. Mother still cried for my father, not stepfather, but my father. She was depressed. She was taken to a hospital. The doctor couldn't do anything. She died and I screamed. I screamed at the doctor and at myself and at my mother's dead body. And I was taken to a orphanage. I was 9, and the oldest person there. The orphanage was filled with small toddlers and babies. I had to help out with the babies. They were awful and they cried and I prayed that some unknown relation would take me away. And finally, I was adopted. The Muldoons were the kindest people I knew. But there was one problem. They were Muggles. I convinced them to let me go to Hogwarts and they have loved me ever since they saw me. But I wanted to prove myself to my stepfather. I wanted to become a famous reporter and expose him. So I thought this was the best way to start. A small publication. I'm sorry Mint. So sorry._

_Bettie __**MULDOON **_not Harrison

I started to cry. Bettie had never told us this. Shaking on my shoulder told me that Ty was crying also. Right then I hated that stupid stepfather. I wanted to strangle him, to show him that he was a jerk and a git. I was happy for Bettie. Happy that Bettie's new family loved her and cared for her. I though so much about family that I realized I'd be late for class. It was a Thursday, and we'd be going in to Hogsmeade in two days. I smiled at the though of seeing my parents and I skipped off to DADA.

MacKenzie looked miserable. She wasn't her usual exuberant self. She just made us read out of the textbook and stretch. When she bid us goodbye, she looked like she might drown herself in tears. We talked about it all through Potions, History of Magic, Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures. Even dinner was buzzing and we noticed Chesterfield was absent from the table. It was the "hot topic" of the day and everyone was going nuts about it. I didn't really care.

Friday came fast and Lesha Brandt, the girliest girly girl of all girly girls, was helping Ty. She had started a small cub called Deal with that Boyfriend 101. We met in a hidden room on the 5th floor. It was supposed to train you to be a perfect girlfriend. The only reason I joined was because Ty begged me to. "I couldn't possibly stand Lesha alone!" she squealed when I first rejected. Musik and Joy were begged by me to do it. So We're all doing it. Even Bettie. Karly Harte just said, "Dahling! Boys fall at their feet when they see me! I don't need your C-List skills!" when asked to join.

Now we were working on conversational skills. Lesha partnered us up, "Mint and Joy, Ty—You can be with Musik. I'll work with you Bettie. Lorinda," she said addressing the Slytherins, Ravenclwas and Hufflepuffs now, "You be with Keisha. Andi, umm…Callie. Estee, you go with Bethanniestellamanda….oh wait…you wanted to be called Beth. Alizza and Annie, I can't separate! Alley and Giselle! Let's go!"

Joy and I walked towards each other, sat on purple beanbags and talked…..about how stupid this was. But, "No QUITTING!" Lesha had said during the course overview. Lesha passed by to see how we were doing. "You look great tonight!" I said abruptly. 'Wha—oh! Thank you. It's a Gladrags original!" said Joy, quickly catching on. "Great Girls!" said Lesha as she went to calm Alizza and Annie who were in hysterics when they looked to the door. John Zlotoff, a not-so-bright Hufflepuff had come through. "Huh?" he said, waving a flier at Lesha, who hurried over, ocassionally shooting a shut-up look at Alizza and Annie who looked like they were choking. "John," said Lesha warningly. He waved the flier. I could see just over her shoulder.

_Deal With That Girlfriend 101_

_A simple course taught by Cornelius Fudge on how to get your girl attached to you._

_ Fifth Floor Corridor next to Boris the Bewildered_

Lesha read it aloud. John turned a lovely shade of purple. Alizza and Annie turned a dark blue as they tried to keep themselves for laughing. "But," said John, "Jake King and Percy Weasley told me that they went for a meeting and that it was spectaular. He said that Fudge knows his stuff. And that a smart kid like me just could get a little smarter, If there was room in my head to hold so much information. And…..sorry Leesh!" said John, sheepishly. Musik took out a piece of parchment and tapped it. Joy scooted over and tapped it with her wands too. They were tapping until they said, "Voila!" and scooted their parchment over.

_Mandatory Tap Dance Lessons ( boys only)_

_September 24__th_

_5__th__ Floor_

_Pay by September 19th_

_A simple course taught by Minerva McGonnagal._

_Detention will be awarded if complaints are launched or if money is late._

_Cost: 12 Galleons_

_Contact: Send any letters to the black owl with a gray star on it ( in Owlery)_

Musik and Joy were decribing Delia. And Rocket, Bettie's new owl. "Mint, can you make sure Delia's on a long delivery. Got any relatives far away? Jake'll recognize Delia, but not Rocket." said Musik and Joy, together! "I've got an Auntie Carmeena. She travels lots, so it will be difficult to find her. I'll write to ol' Carmeena!" I said, looking pleased. John looks pleased also. "Stupid King!" he mutters loudly. "I'm stupid!" he says, more loudly. In about a minute, John has pitiful girls swarming around him. "Oh John!" they all cry. We all sit back and laugh. "You show Jake," says Bettie seriously, "You show him that he can't hurt you or touch you. You tell him that one day, you'll be famous and you'll tell the story of Jake King. And hee'll know, how much better you know!" complete Bettie, confidently. We stare at her. Ty and I are the only ones that know that Bettie isn't just talking to John. She's coaching herself. And doing a greaat job of it. When we made our way back up, we couldn't help thinking that Jon Zlotoff was…well…interesting.

It was Saturday and I was so excited. I would see my parents. Grammy Carol had had a severe case of pneumonia this summer and we hadn't gone to Belfast, so I was realy excited.


End file.
